Island/Coral Princes

[scmexico]

I am thinking of a Panama Canal cruise in the fall. Vancouver to FLL. I wanted to hear some opinions on Baja/Caribe Deck balconies. Is one deck better than the other? Are the cabins fore or aft better to view the canal? Which is the preferred side? I know you can always get an opinion on this board.

[AKman2495]

We did that trip last year. Caribe balconies are the largest on the Coral/Island. As for viewing the canal from your Balcony-don't. There are many viewing decks on the Coral/Island that are much better along with the Deck above the lido deck. People will tell you about the "secret" decks, which are not so secret. They are in the front of the ship but can get crowded.

 

I suggest that on Canal day you move around. We started on the sun deck for the first two locks. We then went to my favorite deck, which is on the emerald deck-at the very stern. I was there through the lake and the cut. After the cut you enter the Gatun Lake, which is a great time to hit the buffet for lunch as they have great viewing windows. After that come the last three locks and the exit.

 

Some people like the promenade deck for the locks as you can reach out and touch the concrete.

 

As you can tell, the Canal is not a place to be sitting on your balcony.

 

Keep in mind that the Canal hits the 90's with a lot of humidity. Balconies are very uncomfortable in that kind of heat. As we were exiting the canal we went to my mom's cabin on the Caribe and sat on her balcony as the sun set. That was a nice time to be on the balcony.

 

Other than the mornings or evenings I would avoid balconies....

 

This is a great cruise and you will love it.

 

By the way, if you get up early on the day you arrive in LA, go out on your balcony (port side) or one of the aft balconies so you can see both sides, and watch the ship come up the canal into port. You sail right by the U.S.S. Iowa battleship. It is a great sight.

[TM]

I agree with the previous poster. You really need to be walking around the ship while going through the canal, particularly the locks. If you want to get a view form the front there are "secret decks" at the front of the ship on Caribe and Baja decks. Many people will park themselves in the Horizon Court. Others will go to the front on the open decks. Two of my favorite spots are on the Promenade deck on the outside. It is very interesting to be there as the ship is being raised and lowered. You can almost reach out and touch the side of the lock. For a close-up view of the locks closing go to the back of the ship on the Promenade deck. You are much closer to the action than viewing the locks opening and closing at the front of the ship. Also be sure to read "The Path Between the Seas" if you are doing the full transit. While it is a bit dry reading, it gives you a great perspective of the engineering marvel that the Canal is.

[windsor26]

Not the OP but thanks for that information we are doing the transit in May from FLL to Vancouver and have an inside cabin so obviously will not miss out on anything

[dorisis]

The ship usually goes thru the Canal VERY early. About 5:30 AM is not unusual.

[MSN-Travelers]

I am thinking of a Panama Canal cruise in the fall. Vancouver to FLL. I wanted to hear some opinions on Baja/Caribe Deck balconies. Is one deck better than the other? Are the cabins fore or aft better to view the canal? Which is the preferred side? I know you can always get an opinion on this board.

 

Canal day is just that . . . one day. Book your cabin for the rest of the cruise. As others have indicated, you will really spend very little time on "your" balcony on canal day.

 

Caribe deck balconies are larger than Baja, almost double in size. Caribe balconies are half covered, offering both shade and sun, while Baja balconies are fully covered.

 

Fore/aft is irrelevant for canal day, again book your cabin for the rest of the cruise.

 

If given a choice, the starboard side of the ship will have slightly more activity when actually going through the locks. (Itineraries headed for FLL) Beyond that, the canal is a giant, slow, river cruise with both sides of the ship offering roughly the same views.

 

Enjoy!

[AKman2495]

The ship usually goes thru the Canal VERY early. About 5:30 AM is not unusual.

 

Actually, it starts to go through the canal that early. It takes all day to go through the entire canal.

 

We got up at 4 am to see the entry to the canal. We went up to Baja and through the "secret" doors out to the front deck-and it was pitch black!

 

Sunrise is a lot later than 5 am and you will not see a whole lot till the sun comes up. Fortunately, the ship didn't get far into the canal before first light. It takes a while to actually get to the locks.

 

After getting up that early we went to the HC for breakfast until it got light enough to see anything.

[Colo Cruiser]

I am thinking of a Panama Canal cruise in the fall. Vancouver to FLL. I wanted to hear some opinions on Baja/Caribe Deck balconies. Is one deck better than the other? Are the cabins fore or aft better to view the canal? Which is the preferred side? I know you can always get an opinion on this board.

 

 

We prefer Caribe aft due the available loungers in the viewing area, but they have viewing areas forward as well (no longers though). :)

 

Edited December 25, 2013 by Colo Cruiser

[loliola]

I wish people would stop saying that Caribe balconies on Island/Coral are larger than other decks; it just isn't true. Some Caribe balconies are larger; quite a few are not, mainly the ones on the humps. Island and Coral are very different from the grand class ships, it is necessary to look at deck plans carefully or go to the very helpful website provided by Tom O.

[OCruisers]

I wish people would stop saying that Caribe balconies on Island/Coral are larger than other decks; it just isn't true. Some Caribe balconies are larger; quite a few are not, mainly the ones on the humps. Island and Coral are very different from the grand class ships, it is necessary to look at deck plans carefully or go to the very helpful website provided by Tom O.

 

Very true. People do need to look at the deck plans carefully and the cabin info.

 

Island/Coral are wonderful ships for the Panama Canal! :)

 

LuLu

~~~~

[rdsqrl]

Canal day is just that . . . one day. Book your cabin for the rest of the cruise. As others have indicated, you will really spend very little time on "your" balcony on canal day.

 

Caribe deck balconies are larger than Baja, almost double in size. Caribe balconies are half covered, offering both shade and sun, while Baja balconies are fully covered.

 

Fore/aft is irrelevant for canal day, again book your cabin for the rest of the cruise.

 

If given a choice, the starboard side of the ship will have slightly more activity when actually going through the locks. (Itineraries headed for FLL) Beyond that, the canal is a giant, slow, river cruise with both sides of the ship offering roughly the same views.

 

Enjoy!

In addition to the incorrect information re Caribe deck cabins, this post also is incorrect in its assertion re starboard having "more activity" (whatever that means). The Canal has two lanes; you don't know which lane you'll be in, so you may be on the side facing away from the Canal or you may be viewing the "median" between the two lanes and the other lane with any ships in it also going through right next to you. In other words, there's no point obsessing over what side of the ship to be on as you won't know until you're there at each set of locks what each side of the ship will be facing.

[Holomoku]

When we did the Canal on the Coral, we got up early and watched everything from our Caribe Balcony until we exited the locks. We saw everything up close and with no one pushing in to see something around us. Then we went up and watched from on high for the rest of the day. When doing the Canal again we will watch from our own balcony and from there you can call to the Princess Photographers on the lock area and get your photo taken. Whatever you do you will find it fascinating especially if you bone up on the story ahead of time. Enjoy!;)

[avcruz]

We had C622 on Caribe Deck when we went through the canal. It's one of the "bump out" cabins which I know some people don't like but we loved it, especially going through the canal. We had a 90+ degree view plus we liked avoiding the crowds and even had our Balcony Breakfast delivered that morning. Caribe deck cabins are the way to go!

[jackieo]

avcruz

 

That's foe the info on this cabin

 

We have C622 on a full transit from LAX to FLL in February. Can you tell me whether this cabin was very windy when you were underway on sea days?

 

Thanks and merry christmas!

 

Jackie

[Loonbeam]

We had B416 - similar profile. It all depended on wind direction. When the wind came across the ship from the front left, you certainly felt it, but honestly other than that not really, my wife was out there reading a paper book quite often while underway.

 

Those cabins do have an odd wind tunnel effect though. Make sure you don't open the cabin and balcony door at the same time, with the channel to the center of the ship opens it suddenly turns into an air scoop.

 

avcruz

 

That's foe the info on this cabin

 

We have C622 on a full transit from LAX to FLL in February. Can you tell me whether this cabin was very windy when you were underway on sea days?

 

Thanks and merry christmas!

 

Jackie

[Astro Flyer]

A site for Coral/Island balcony info:

 

http://mysite.verizon.net/res76zxu/princessbalconies/index.html